Signal device



Dec. 1, 1936. w, cu ss 2,063,003

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed May 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR. /I/////3/77 R i'urf/ls's ATTORNEY.

W. .R. CURTISS Dec. 1, 1936.

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed May 12, .1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IN VENTOR. M/fibm R Gaff/15s.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 SIGNAL DEVICE William R. Curtiss, Meriden, Conn., assignor to Connecticut'lelephone & Electric Corporation, Meriden, 001111., a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1933, Serial No. 670,697

5 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to directional signalliag system of the electrically operated type.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel directional signalling system wherein means are provided for indicating to an operator the failure of any one of a plurality of signals connected in multiple.

Another object is to provide a novel signal lamp so constructed as to be readily and inexpensively manufactured in large quantities and which is of light weight for a given size, yet sturdy and durable.

A further object is to provide novel directional signalling means so constructed as to render the outline of the signal distinct at much greater distances than those heretofore provided.

Still another object is to provide novel switch mounting means for directional signal apparatus adapted to be secured to the steering column of a vehicle and to be adjusted to the convenience of the operative. The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had, primarily, for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of one form of novel signal lamp which may be employed in carrying out the present invention, the view being taken on line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the lamp shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial section taken on a line 33 oi. Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, with a portion broken away, of a novel translucent disc, which may be employed;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view'of a preferred form of mounting for electrical elements of the system;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the mounting shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 'l is a section taken on line of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one embodiment of the novel signalling system; and- Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating another embodiment of the system, with the control elements associated with a portion of the steering mechanism for an automobile. I

One embodiment of the novel signalling lamp comprehended by the present invention is illustrated, by way of example, (Figs. 1 to 4) as comprising a housing constituted bya shell Ill having a substantially parabolic section and a flanged front cover I] forming a bezel for receiving a transparent or translucent disc I 2. Preferably shell I!) and cover ll are stamped from lightweight materials thereby reducing the cost and weight while facilitating the rate of production.

In lighting or signalling units of the above type wherein light weight is desirable much difilculty has been experienced in providing a suitable mounting for.the same, since the body portion or shell could not be made strong enough, consistent with desired weight, to withstand the vibrations to which it is subjected. To overcome this difficulty there is provided a narrow steel strip ll stamped to conform to the contour of shell ill in an axial direction and welded or otherwise suitably secured to the inner wallthereof'. Strip I4 and shell II] are provided with cooperating indentations forming a horizontal portion I 5 by means of which said shell is secured to a suitable mounting post I6. 1

As shown, post I6 is tubular and is externally threaded from end to end. The upper end of the same projects through an opening in portion IS, the latter being clamped between a pair of nuts l1 and I8 thereby securely fastening shell ID to the mounting post. Any suitable fixture such as a clamping member I 9, washer 20, and nut 2 I may be provided for securing post l6 to the frame member, such as a fender, of a vehicle.

In addition to serving as a reinforcement for shell l0, strip I has its inner end bent upwardly at right angles to the axis of said shell and has a bulb socket 22 concentric with said axis secured thereto by any suitable means such as soldering. Within the socket there is provided a springpressed contact 23 carried and centered therein by an insulating washer 24, said contact being directly connected to an electrical lead 25 which is brought into shell l0 through tubular post 16.

Preferably socket 22 is so positioned that the center of illumination of a bulb 26, held in said socket by means of a bayonet joint, will coincide with the foci of a substantially parabolic reflector 21. The latter, as shown, is mounted within shell l0 and is maintained in a fixed position therein by means of cover I l which holds a narrow flange of said reflector in engagement with the outer edge of the face of said shell. By positioning the source of light at the foci of reflector 21, the rays will proceed from the latter in parallel lines.

In order to emit the light of bulb 26 in the form of a direction indicating signal, cover I is stamped with openings forming the desired signal or figure. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a novel form of signal is provided whereby the range of visibility of the same is materially increased. Heretofore signals of the character illustrated, especially those in smaller and desirable sizes, have not proved to be entirely successful in that a clear outline of the signal was not visible except at short distances. The latter difliculty has been due to the difiusion of the light rays which causes the outline of the signal to be obliterated and appear as a solid light.

The above difficulty is overcome by the present invention wherein the signal outline in cover I is constituted by a plurality of openings 28 forming broken lines to make up the desired signal, such as the arrow shown. Preferably the lengths of the openings forming a given line of the signal are shortened at points where there is a concentration of light clue to the proximity of another line. By so forming the signal in the face of the signal lamp, the diffusion of the light rays tends to accentuate the signal rather than to blur the same since the commingling of the rays is greatly reduced for longer distances and completely eliminated for short distances. The glare produced at a distance by a signal made up of solid lines is'thus greatly reduced when such lines are broken such as by means of bailies 29. It is also desirable that the lines making up the signal be separated as much as possible consistent with the formation of the outline desired. The commingling of the light rays is further prevented by the emanation of the rays in parallel lines through openings 28 as pointed out above. The width of openings 28 should be kept as small as possible for night use, but at the same time should be large enough to provide sufllcient light intensity to counteract normal daytime illumination. It has been found that a suitable width for the openings 28 in a 4 inch diameter light, should be approximately 7/32 of an inch.

For the purpose of coloring the signal amber, red, or other colors such as is commonly employed in directional signals a novel translucent disc I2 is secured to the inner face of cover II by means of rivet 30. As shown, disc I2 is constituted by a stamping made from celluloid or other yieldable light transmitting substance and has raised portions 3| thereon corresponding in size and position to the openings 23 in cover ii. The projections 3| thereby seal the housing Ill, Ii against the entrance of dirt and moisture through openings 23. The thickness of projections 3| is such that the outer faces thereof are flush with the outer face of cover II. This permits ready cleaning of the portions 3| and prevents the accumulation of dirt in the openings 23. By stamping disc |2 from a flat plate having uniform thickness, the projections 3| (Fig. 3) have an equal thickness and do not hinder the passage of light rays. If desired, suitable molded glass discs may be employed in lieu of the stampings.

Disc I2 is maintained in contact with the inner face of cover H by being clamped between the edge of shell l0 and said cover when the latter is secured in assembled position. As shown, cover II is positioned and secured by means of a pin 32 on the shell which projects into an opening in the flange of cover Ii, and a suitable clamp constituted by ears 33, S W GG to shell i0 and cover H, and retaining member 33 A gasket 34 may be provided to prevent the entrance of moisture and dirt into shell i0 around the edge thereof. For daytime use the visibility of the signal is improved by the provision of the visor 35 which may be secured to the flange on cover Ii.

A novel mounting is provided for the control switch of the system so that said switch may be positioned at a point such that it may be operated by the driver without removing his hand from the steering wheel, thereby assuring full control of the vehicle at all times. As shown the mounting comprises a pair of inverted U-shaped or grooved arms 36 and 31, the latter being adapted to be telescopically received by the groove in the former. Arms 36 and 31 are adjustably secured to one another in said telescoping position by means of a pair of screws 38, extending through openings in the upper side of arm 36 and through an elongated slot 31 in arm 31, and lugs 33 threadedly received by the lower ends of said screws, the lugs engaging the inner surface of the groove in arm 31. Arms 36 and 31 are adapt ed to be secured to the steering column of a vehicle by means of a clamping member 40 and a pair of screws 4| which threadedly engage oppositely extending ears 36 and arm 36. The arms thus constitute an adjustable support which extends at right angles from the steering column, the length of the support being rendered adjustable by loosening screws 38. An electrical switch, to be hereinafter described, is mounted on the outer end of support 36, 31, whereby the switch may be adjusted to a position directly beneath the periphery of a steering wheel so that the driver may actuate the switch without removing either hand from the wheel.

In the form shown, switch means are mounted in a housing 42 integral with the outer end of arm 31, said switch means comprising a pair of fixed contacts 43 and 44 and a movable disc-like contact 45 having a downwardly projecting stem 46 adapted to reciprocate in a guide 41. A manually operable member or lever 43 pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin, 49 which is supported in grooves in the opposite sides of housing 42 is provided with a contact bridge member 50. The latter is preferably in the form of a segment oi a disc, contact 45 being yieldingly held in engagement with the ilat edge thereof when lever 43 is in neutral position by means such as spring 6|. A cover plate 52 for housing 42 is adapted to hold pivot pin 43 in place. When lever 43 is moved to the angular position shown in dotted lines (Fig.

6) to engage one of the contacts 43 or 44, said lever will be retained in such a position by the pressure of spring 5| until returned to neutral position by the operative. The specific construction of the switch forms no part, per se, of the secured by any suitable means, such as soldering,

to a plate 56. The latter is secured by any suitable means to the housing 42 and serves as a support for said bulb and socket. One terminal of the bulb is grounded through socket 54 and antenna support 35, 31, and the other terminal is corrnected in an electrical circuit through a resilient contact 51 in the base of socket 54. The upper end of opening 53 may be closed by a glass cover 58. g

A representative installation of a directional signalling system would include two pairs of the novel signal lamps 59 and 50 (Fig. 8) of the type above described, one lamp of each pair being mounted on the front of a vehicle and the other one, of each pair on the rear, to indicate right and left hand tm'ns respectively. A novel electrical circuit is provided for connecting said signals and the pilot light 55 in a manner such that the latter will only operate when the signal lamps are in operating condition. The circuit, as shown, includes a source of electrical energy such as a storage battery to which lamps 55 and til are connected through switch contact 45, member 50, contacts 43 and 44, and leads 62 and 53 respectively.

In order that pilot lamp 55 will operate only when both of the lamps of either pair are in operation so that the driver will be informed whenever any one of the signal lamps is burned out or otherwise not in operation, an electro== magnet or relay 54 is connected in series with battery iii and contact 45 for closing a circuit to pilot lamp 55 in accordance with the current flowing in the signal lamp circuit. A conducting armature 55 is adapted to engage a contact 55 when attracted by electro-magnet 54, thereby connecting pilot light 55 to. battery 5i through leads 5! and 58, and ground. The number of turns in coil 54 is such that armature 55 will be attracted only when a predetermined amount of current flows therethrough. Thus, when any one of the lamps 59 or 50 is not in operating condition, the current flowing through said coil will be insuflicient to attract the armature, and the circuit to pilot lamp 55 will remain open, thereby giving the driver notice that at least one of the signals is out of order.

In operation. when it is desired to make a right turn for example, the driver moves switch lever 48 to the right with his fingers without having to remove his hand from the steering wheel. Said lever will be held in that position, as above pointed out, by spring 5| thus bridging the contacts 43, 45 and closing the circuit to lamps 59. If both of the signal lamps 59 are drawing cur rent, there will be sufllcient current flowing through electro-magnet 54 to attract armature 55 into engagement with contact 55 thereby closing the circuit to pilot lamp 55. As soon as the turn has been executed, the driver will return lever 48 to neutral position.

- A second embodiment of the novel signalling circuit is illustrated in Fig. 9 in association with the steering wheel of an automobile- As shown, said embodiment employs a resistance 55 in series with battery 5| and switch contact 45 in lieu of the electro-magnetic hookup described above.

across that'portion of the circuit containing the signal lamps in multiple. It will be noted that all oi the leads entering the switch housing 52 may be led up the steering column and through the groove in the lower face of support 35, Lil.

Unly two of such leads are so illustrated in Fig. 9.

There is thus provided a signalling system employing novel directional signalling means, novel switch mounting means, and a novel pilot lamp hookup therefor, whereby clear signals may be given with compact, light apparatus at longer distances and whereby theoperative is notified immediately of a defect in the signalling system when the same is in operation. Only two embodirnents oi the invention have been illustrated, but it is to be expressly understood that various changes in the design and arrangement of parts of the several novel features of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the same. Reference will be had primarily to the appended claims for a definition of the limits or the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, a source of light, and a housing therefor having an arrow formed in a side thereof, each line of said arrow being composed of a plurality of light transmitting openings of substantially equal width in said side, which openings are separated by opaque baiiles, the areas of the openings adjacent the point of intersection of said lines extended being smaller than the openings remote therefrom.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a source of light and a, housing therefor, said housing having a signal formed by a plurality of interrupted lines approaching one another on an opaque side thereof, said interrupted lines of said signal being constituted by a plurality of differant-sized openings having substantially equal widths in said side, the smallest of said openings being nearest the region of closest proximity of said lines.

3. ln apparatus of the class described, a source of light and a housingtherefor, said housing having a signal formed by a plurality of lines on an opaque side thereof, said lines being constituted 'by a plurality of rectangular openings in said opaque side, said openings being of substantially uniform width and of non-uniform length, the smallest of said openings being nearest a point of intersection of said lines.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a source of light and a housing therefor, said housing having an arrow formed in an opaque side thereof, said arrow being constituted by three lines, the prolongations of which intersect in a point, said lines being constituted by openings in said opaque side, said openings having substantially uniform widths and non-uniform lengths, the shortest of said openings being nearest said point of intersection.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a source of light and a housing therefor, said housing having an arrow formed by lines of light transmitting areas in a side thereof, said areas in each line of thearrow being of substantially uniform width and separated by opaque areas of said side, the smallest of said light transmitting areas being adjacent the points of intersection of said lines.

WILLIAM R. CUR'IISS. 

